Ramil M. Valeev

The survived correspondence of Vasiliy V. Bartold and Agafangel E. Krymsky contains important data about crucial changes which took place in the Oriental science in the post-revolutionary Russia. The letters of two distinguished scholars, dated before 1918, were concerned mainly with discussion of the professional issues. Anyhow, the following correspondence increasingly touched upon social and political problems and included their thoughts about methods of their resolving. The correspondence of these two eminent scholars remains a significant factor in the history of the Oriental science.

The article analyzes the unpublished correspondence between V.V. Bartold and A.E. Krymsky during the period from 1908 till 1913. It contains valuable data which helps us to reconstruct main trends of the academic life at that time and to have a better understanding of the problems which occurred in the field of Oriental studies in Russia in the early 20th century. The correspondence of these distinguished scholars shows that they shared obvious common sympathy and similar professional interests. The letters of V.V. Bartold and A.E. Krymsky confirm that their primary concern was the state of Oriental studies and the system of education.

The article examines the role of the Coptic Orthodox Church journal “Al-Kiraza” in the life of the Coptic community, the circumstances of its emergence, and its influence on readers. Founded through the efforts of young church leaders in the 1930s–1950s, the journal promoted their philosophical views among Copts.

The publication presents previously unpublished letters from V.A. Gordlevsky to A.E. Krymsky dated 1906–1909.

The article investigates the biography and academic legacy of the famous Russian representative of classical Oriental studies Boris V. Miller (1877–1956). His life along with his scholarly and pedagogical activities reflected turning points in the history of linguistic, folkloristic, historical and ethnographic studies of the Iranian-speaking peoples of the Caucasus — Talysh, Kurds and Tats at the end of the 19th — first half of the 20th century. Professor B.V. Miller is remembered in the history of Oriental studies in Russia as a talented and highly motivated scholar who made a significant contribution to the development of Iranian studies, and as one of the founders of Iranian studies at Lomonosov Moscow State University.

In 2024, we celebrated the 220th anniversary of the birth of the prominent scholar G.S. Sablukov (1804–1880), who occupied a special place in the history of the Qur’anic studies in Russia. His main academic achievement — the first published translation of the Qur’an from the Arabic into Russian (1877) — became an important step in the development of Russian Oriental science. The article investigates the stages of formation of G.S. Sablukov as an expert on Islamic issues, contains an overview of his works dedicated to the Qur’an and analyzes the assessments of his translation of the Holy Muslim Book, which have changed over time. However, there is no doubt that with his translation of the Qur’an, G.S. Sablukov made a significant contribution to Russian Islamic studies by strengthening its scholarly foundations.